Chingam 1 (Chingam Onnu) is the Keralites New Year Day as per the Kerala calender Kollavarsham. 'Chingam' is my favorite month in the Malayalam calender and so is 'August' in the English calender. Keralites celebrate Onam with the biggest pomp and show. Floral Rangolis ( Pookkalam) are made in courtyards on each of these 10 days.

Malayalam Calendar or the Kolla Varsham is the
traditional calendar followed in Kerala. Earlier Malayalam calendar
dates were followed to determine birthdays and important festivals in
Kerala. Even today, many major festivals and important events,
ceremonies in temples in Kerala depend on Malayalam calendar and
nakshatras (stars).

Malayalam Calendar, Malayalam Era or Kollavarsham or Kollam Era is a
solar and sidereal Hindu calendar used in Kerala, India. The origin of
the calendar has been dated as 825 CE.
Hindus of Kerala are using Malayalam Calender for there religious,
cultural and cultivation activities. The Malayalam New Year Chingam 1st
is on August 17, Saturday and is the beginning of Chinga Masam. As per
Malayalam Calender the Kolla Varsham begins on August 17 2013. The first
day of Chingam month is welcomed by people of Kerala with special
poojas and prayers. Hindus in large numbers visit their near by
temples and in some part of the Kerala parents were give Kai Neettam to
their children.

According to Sun's transit Keralites are celebrating new year day as the first day of the month of
Mesha or Medam. This day signifies the Sun's transit to the zodiac Mesha
Raasi. Currently, it occurs around April 15 on the Gregorian calendar
and is celebrated as Vishu.

But now Chingam 1 (around August 15) is
celebrated as the new year day. The month Chingam starts in the mid
August corressponds to harvest and Onam festival is celebrated in this
month. The last month of Malayam Calendar Karkkidakam
corresponds the month when the South west monsoon is active. This month
is also considered to be bad time as in olden days rains used to bring
diseases and damages to lives and property.

Karkkidakam is generally
known as the Panja Masam, the month of famine, because of the lack of
work during the peak of monsoon. Scripture from Ramayana will be recited
till the end of the month and people will abstain from entering into
any new ventures or holding auspicious functions during this month.
Hence it is also called Ramayanamasam.

The agricultural activities of
Kerala are centred around the seasons. The Southwest monsoon which
starts around June 1 is known as Edavappathi, meaning mid- Edavam. The
North east monsoon which starts during mid October is called
thulavarsham (rain in the month of thulam).

The two harvests of paddy
are called Kannikkoythu and Makarakkoythu (harvest in the month kanni
and makaram) respectively. The Makaravilakku festival is celebrated in
the Ayyappa Temple at Sabarimala on the 1st day of month Makaram.

മലയാള മാസം (Month)

The Malayalam months are named after the Signs of the Zodiac. Thus Cingam (from Simham or Lion) is named after the constellation Leo and so on. The following are the months of the astronomical Malayalam calendar:

Comparative table showing corresponding months of other calendars

Months in Malayalam Era

In Malayalam

Gregorian Calendar

Tamil calendar

Saka era

Sign of Zodiac

Chingam

ചിങ്ങം

August–September

Aavani

Sravan–Bhadrapada

Leo

Kanni

കന്നി

September–October

Purattasi

Bhadrapada–Asvina

Virgo

Tulam

തുലാം

October–November

Aippasi

Asvina–Kartika

Libra

Vrscikam

വൃശ്ചികം

November–December

Karthigai

Kartika–Agrahayana

Scorpio

Dhanu

ധനു

December–January

Margazhi

Agrahayana–Pausa

Sagittarius

Makaram

മകരം

January–February

Thai

Pausa–Magha

Capricon

Kumbham

കുംഭം

February–March

Maasi

Magha–Phalguna

Aquarius

Minam

മീനം

March–April

Panguni

Phalguna–Chaitra

Pisces

Medam

മേടം

April–May

Chithirai

Chaitra– Vaisakha

Aries

Edavam (Idavam)

ഇടവം

May–June

Vaikasi

Vaisakha–Jyaistha

Taurus

Mithunam

മിഥുനം

June–July

Aani

Jyaistha–Asada

Gemini

Karkadakam

കര്‍ക്കടകം

July–August

Aadi

Asada–Sravana

Cancer

Malayalam Calender came to be called 'Kolla Varsham' after the town of Kollam(Quilon) which was the capital the Kingdom
of Venad. The city, also a major coastal town, a significant
industrial and commercial trading center. Kollam has been described
in history as one of the finest Cities in Malabar.

Azhcaആഴ്ച - Week

The days of the week in the Malayalam calendar are suffixed with Azhca (ആഴ്ച - week).

Comparative table showing corresponding weekdays

Malayalam

മലയാളം

English

Kannada

Tamil

Hindi

Njayar

ഞായര്‍

Sunday

Bhanuvara

Nyaayiru

Ravivar

Thinkal

തിങ്കള്‍

Monday

Somavara

Thinkal

Somvar

Chowva

ചൊവ്വ

Tuesday

Mangalavara

Chevvai

Mangalvar

Budhan

ബുധന്‍

Wednesday

Budhavara

Budhan

Budhvar

Vyazham

വ്യാഴം

Thursday

Guruvara

Vyazhan

Guruvar

Velli

വെള്ളി

Friday

Shukravara

Velli

Sukravar

Shani

ശനി

Saturday

Shanivara

Sani

Shanivar

Like the months above, there are twenty seven stars starting from Aswati
(Ashvinī in Sanskrit) and ending in Revatī. The 365 days of the year
are divided into groups of fourteen days called Nhattuvela, each one bearing the name of a star.

നക്ഷത്രം Nakshathra - 27 Stars

According to Indian Astrology there are 27 Nakshatras
or stars in the zodiac belt. The ecliptic is divided into 27
nakshatras, which are variously called lunar houses or asterisms. The
zodiac comprises of 360 degrees. Therefore, the value of each
constellation is 13 degrees and 20 minutes when measured from the fixed
initial point. These 27 Nakshatras(stars) complete the entire circle of
360 degrees of the zodiac. These reflect the moon's cycle against the
fixed stars, 27 days ,7 hours and 45 minutes. Nakshatra computation
appears to have been well known at the time of the Rig Veda.

The
starting point for this division is the point on the ecliptic directly
opposite to the star Spica called Chithra in Sanskrit. (Other
slightly-different definitions exist.) It is called Meshaadi or the
"start of Aries". The ecliptic is divided into the nakshatras eastwards
starting from this point. Note that nakshatra-s are (in this context)
not just single stars but are segments on the ecliptic characterised by
one or more stars. Hence you will find many stars mentioned for one
nakshatra. An additional 28th intercalary nakshatra, Abhijit (alpha,
epsilon and zeta Lyrae - Vega - between Uttarasharha and Sravana), is in
between Uttarashada and Sravana. Last two (third and fourth) Padas of
Uttrashada and first two (first and second) Padas of Sravana are
considered to be Abhijith. The nakshatra in which the moon lies at the
time of sunrise of a day is the nakshatra for the day.

തിഥി - Tithi

The (anticlockwise) angular distance between the sun
and moon as measured from the earth along the ecliptic (circle on the
sky in which the sun, moon and planets seem to move) can vary between 0
and 360 degrees. This is divided into 30 parts. The time spent by the
moon in each of these parts is called one tithi. The month has two
pakshas or fortnights.

The first 15 tithis constitute the bright
fortnight or shukla paksha - the waxing phase and the next 15 tithi-s
constitute the dark fortnight or krishna paksha - the waning phase.
Tithi-s are indicated by their paksha and ordinal number within the
paksha. In a given lunar month, there are essentially 30 tithis. The
15th tithi of the bright fortnight (full moon) is called Paurnami or
Poornima and the 15th tithi of the dark fortnight (new moon) is called
Amavasi. The tithi in which the moon is at the time of sunrise of a day
is taken to be the tithi for the day.

30 Tithies and 2 Pakshams

Tithi

Paksham

Amavasi(new moon day)

Krishna

Prathipadam(Pradhama)

Krishna

Dwitheeya

Krishna

Trutheeya

Krishna

Chathurthi

Krishna

Panchami

Krishna

Shashti

Krishna

Sapthami

Krishna

Ashtami

Krishna

Navami

Krishna

Dasami

Krishna

Ekadasi

Krishna

Dwadasi

Krishna

Tryodasi

Krishna

Chaturdasi

Krishna

Pournami(full moon day)

Shukla

Prathipadam(Pradhama)

Shukla

Dwitheeya

Shukla

Trutheeya

Shukla

Chathurthi

Shukla

Panchami

Shukla

Shashti

Shukla

Sapthami

Shukla

Ashtami

Shukla

Navami

Shukla

Dasami

Shukla

Ekadasi

Shukla

Dwadasi

Shukla

Tryodasi

Shukla

Chaturdasi

Shukla

ഞാറ്റുവേല - Njattuvela

The 365 days of the year are divided into groups of
fourteen days called Njattuvela, each one bearing the name of a star.
Thus there are 27 Njattuvelas from Aswathy Njattuvela to Revathy
Njattuvela. Njattuvela means Njayarinte Nila or position of sun. The
first Njattuvela is Aswathy Njattuvela and it begins on Medam 1 or Vishu
day(April 14 or 15). In Thiruvathira Njattuvela rain will come down
without a break.